Sharing sample union contracts
On October 30, we will vote to give ourselves the right to bargain for a contract with McClatchy.
We, the journalists of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, will decide what is in that contract, in a negotiation with the company. The contract will be deliberated and voted on by the journalists.
Everyone will have a say in what goes into our contract. Contracts at other newsrooms vary widely and reflect the needs and culture of each individual newsroom. That being said, we want to share with you some highlights from contracts at unionized newsrooms across the country. Click here to view 14 contracts in full.
We want to hear your feedback on what belongs in our contract. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the organizing committee with thoughts, concerns, and ideas.
Highlights of the AP contract:
In the case of a dismissal, the company has to notify the employee in writing with four weeks of advance notice. The company has to explain the reason for the dismissal. There is an appeal process.
If the company dismisses an employee, the company has to pay that person two weeks of salary for the first six months worked, plus one week of salary for each six month period worked after that with a maximum of 72 weeks salary for 426 months worked. For example, if you work for 15 years, the company owes you 31 weeks of salary as severance.
In Article 11 are the salary minimums.
Maternity leave: 8 weeks paid 100% salary.
The company and the union form a diversity committee in which three managers and three employees get together twice annually to discuss initiatives to make the newsroom more diverse and inclusive.
Changes to schedules can be made freely if there is breaking news, someone gets sick and needs a replacement, or if someone has a personal emergency.
From the Sacramento Bee contract
A merit raise pool of two percent exists for each year of the contract
“Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent employees from bargaining individually for salary increases.”
Employees can negotiate with the company to telecommute.
No one shall have their salary reduced unless they are demoted for disciplinary reasons -- with the company showing just cause -- to a lower paying job.
The maximum salaries listed in the contract do not represent a ceiling -- rather, if an employee exceeds the maximum salary of their category (Reporter 1) they are promoted to a different category (e.g. a Reporter 1 who receives a raise beyond $35.81 per hour becomes a Reporter 2.)
The company may offer both overtime and comp time to employees who work more than a full work week.
Section 4 on salaries contains the information on annual raises. After an annual performance review, a merit raise can range from 0 percent to 5 percent.
If an employee needs to miss work or arrive late for personal reasons, the manager has the option of of asking the employee to work longer another day to make up the time. The arrangement is made between employee and manager.
If an employee is laid off, the employee is owed two weeks of pay for every year of service, with a maximum 26 weeks of pay.
When the company does layoffs to reduce staffing, it must tell employees four weeks in advance and meet with affected employees and a union representative to discuss it.
Maternity leave is six months without pay.
The company provides the equipment necessary for the job, including equipment for photographers.
From the Law 360 contract
The company will track applicant and hire data to ensure it is meeting its contractual obligation to hire a diverse workforce. The company and union will form a joint diversity committee to discuss achieving a diverse workforce.
Employees will communicate with their direct supervisor when it is necessary to begin or end the workday outside of the regularly scheduled shift.
If an employee fills in for a supervisor for four hours or more, they will receive $80 a day for that work.
The company will reimburse education tuition or trainings up to $5,250 per employee per year.
The company has to give an employee 48 hours notice before any disciplinary hearing and allow a representative from the union to accompany the employee through the process
from the Seattle Times
When the company does layoffs for the purposes of reducing staff, the company has to let employees know four weeks in advance as a minimum and negotiate with the union to ensure that there is no other option for the company to save money.
In the case of a layoff, the name of the employee who has been laid off will remain on a rehiring list for 12 months, and the company cannot hire anyone except that person for that type of position while they are on the list.
The company designates which of the days of the week employees have off and their working hours. If the company is going to change an employee’s days off or working hours, it has to give the employee two week’s notice. Days off and schedules can change with “reasonable notice” if there is an emergency or breaking news.
Employees who use cell phones for work can get $65 per month toward their phone plans.
Minimum salaries are in Article 8